borrowed heaven
by Yazmine
Summary: SASUSAKU . You borrowed heaven from her. But you never realized that she was dying in your hell.
1. Chapter 1

**b o r r o w e d **

**h e a v e n  
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.**  
><strong>

You borrowed heaven from her.

But you never realized that she was dying in your hell.

**.**

chapter 1

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"Otokage-sama" Juugo called out respectfully towards their leader, walking towards him in the process.

As he paced upwards through the brambles he couldn't help but notice, yet again, how the cliffs of Oto always stood majestically. the landscape of the country had always been rocky and uneven- but it's cliffs were picturesque. No one would even dare to think that the scenery they were appraising would have once been the pinnacle of a civil war.

It's picture perfect charm was even further amplified by the raven haired man the stood at it's highest point, his hands hanging lifelessly at his sides. Rebellious strands of unkempt hair shading his chiseled jawline and contrastingly soft facial features. The simple all black training clothing he wore briefly blown backwards by the wind that rushed upwards. He stood alone and unmoving, as if he were to be a character of an masterpiece of a famous artist waiting to be finished.

"Sasuke-sama." He tried again, on more informal terms when he didn't get a reply. It always worried the orange haired ninja, when all the kage did was merely face the horizon- look over their humble village and ignore everybody.

He was powerful both as a shinobi and as a politician because of his upbringing and personality. A born leader.

Sound had been on its way down after Orochimaru's death, though many were prisoners or ninjas- there were also civilians and farmers. Most did not follow Orochimaru on their own accord. So when news spread that Sasuke would be returning to Oto after killing Konoha's elders to seek shelter, he became their leader unknowingly.

The man reached out a hand to his leader to capture his attention, but was promptly stopped by the zooming of a kunai towards his head.

"Juugo." Sasuke acknowledged as he turned around, collecting his weapon.

"I didn't realize it was you. What did you need me for?"

He couldn't help but sigh, he knew that as sincere as the supposed apology was, it was cold despite all the years the team had spent together. As if to hide that he really cared about them. But it had definitely improved. That was undeniable.

The newest kage was a great liar, Juugo observed, when you couldn't see his eyes. Which is why it didn't surprise him when he turned away once again when he passed the communiqué he was given.

"The Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure agrees that there should be a meeting between you two concerning your new position and the formations of alliances- preferably as soon as possible. We just need to reply."

"Splendid." He grunted, the sarcasm unmistakably there even with his monotoned timbre.

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The doors of the Hokage's office were rudely planted onto the floor from the force of the incoming ninja. He had knocked over the guards standing by the hinged wooden entrance intolerantly in impatience.

"Tsunade obaa-chan! Why didn't you tell me he would be coming back? Everybody else knew!"

"Naruto!" The Hokage rubbed her temples hoping to cure her headache.

"This is exactly why I didn't tell you. You would come barging into my office demanding to be the first to see him." Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly and she almost felt guilty for ruining his hopes.

"And he isn't coming back," The jinchuuriki looked at her. Confused.

"He's here for diplomatic reasons. Naruto, he's the new Otokage." The expression on his face was so torn between excitement and betrayal, she didn't know what to expect from him. But luckily, it seemed to merge back into a big grin after a bit of thought.

"Well, since Gaara is the Kazekage and Sasuke became Otokage, when are you going to finally retire and give me your position baa-chan?"

"Naruto!" he jumped, not expecting her to be so serious.

"This is important! Especially with Sakura's case…" This time, even Shizune, who happened to be in the room visibly flinched.

While she was used to Tsunade and Naruto's normal bickering, it had become taboo to mention Sakura. It was always taboo to mention Sakura. When they were younger it would be because she was their epitome of everything they held dear, everything they wanted to protect and they were scared that they would taint.

Now it was because their failures were… Shizune shook her head to clear her thoughts, scaring Tonton out of her arms.

"How do you think we're going to explain it to him?"

Silence met him as the Hokage appeared to be in deep thought.

"...The same method you used on me?" Naruto offered timidly. The Hokage raised an eyebrow at both his suggestion and manner of speech and decided that "hanging out"- as he like to call it- with the Hyuuga heiress must have rubbed off him even just a little in times of need.

"You fainted for four days, flattened half our forests and threatened to murder everybody as soon as you woke up." She reminded him.

"Teme will just have to do that."

She knew that he understood the new Otokage was most likely to do more than that when he heard of the news. Tsunade inwardly knew, concerning the circumstances of the current situation, Sasuke would probably be the most affected.

But it didn't stop her from hoping that would be all he did.

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...

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"Thankyou."

The agreement was formed with a firm shake of their hands.

"It is a pleasure to be able to form an alliance with Oto despite our rocky history, Sasuke."

"Likewise, Tsunade-san."

Uchiha Sasuke, Tsunade mused- would always be a mystery to her. As formal as the meeting had been, he seemed to somehow, still regard her with respect. Not as a fellow leader- but as his past kage.

Why would he be interested in Konoha after so long? Was it for a bit of closure? But over what? The lands of the former Uchiha clan he demolished himself? The peace of mind by knowing he had managed to fulfill his brother's last request of forgiving Konoha?

'_It wasn't his last unfortunately…'_

"Is Team Kakashi currently in the village?" he asked politely hinting at Kakashi- who sat between them at his post. He was assigned as her bodyguard and witness (since he was someone that Sasuke trusted) for the meeting between them.

Kakashi had visibly looked shocked at his question, over what she wasn't sure; there were too many variables. But she noticed that Sasuke also seemed a little tense in referring to the team as 'Team Kakashi' instead of the 'Team 7' he was probably more familiar with.

It occurred to Tsunade then, that fate had not stopped its game with the young man who stood in front of her. While he had a place to call home, people he could trust and revenge for all the lies he lived upon. He came back for something he had lost on the way. Something that she knew he would stir trouble for them... all of them... by trying to find.

Love.

Funny thing was, years of medical experience made her sensitive to the feelings of other from their actions and expressions, and Tsunade could see that he probably didn't know himself that _love_ may be what he came back for.

Sasuke looked lost if anything. And she hoped he would stay that way. To protect himself, and them. Ignorance was bliss after all. From the look on Kakashi's face she knew that it was probably what he thought too.

"I'll arrange a meeting with them for you if you desire to see them?"

She inwardly sighed.

It was inescapable. It was only a matter of time and place.

They were all just puppeteers dangling on the threads of fate. It was cruel to all of them.

But him in particular.

He had to find out sooner or later.

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The room was silent. The tension so suffocating the walls seem to cave in. It's blank white paint seemed to show exactly what was on their minds.

Sasuke looked at the others in the room. The two replacements- who were they again? Sai and Yamato, they were both present. Kakashi and Naruto sat beside them. Sakura was missing.

"How have you been Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. Politely.

"I've been better, you just saw me."

"Ha ha ha… Right..." His laugh was hollow. It surprised him that he didn't have his porn out by now. And Naruto was uncharacteristically silent. Something was definitely wrong. He needed a sensible one in this room to explain- where was Sakura?

"Where is she?"

They knew who each other meant straight away. She was the girl- woman- only one who played a large enough role in both their lives.

"Sakura isn't with us."

"Focusing on her medical studies is she? Did she quit her ninja duties?" His voice a little cocky. But it made sense. He no longer heard news about Sakura is their community. Naruto's conquests would spread far and wide- but it had been years since he heard anything from Sakura.

He decided that it was only fitting... after all, Sakura was never supposed to be a kunoichi. As a matter of fact, she was everything he deemed unfitting for it's title. She was too emotional, kind and fragile. The life of a ninja was something he never thought she could continue past her teenage years.

"No, Sasuke- Sakura isn't with us!" The reply came out as a low angry growl.

Naruto's answer was still vague and detached. Why was the jinchuuriki so damn so defensive? Did Sakura want to hide from him? Did she ask _Naruto_ of all people to help persuade him that she was not with them? She knew as much as he did how bad of a liar he was. Naruto could never perfectly conceal his emotions. It was ironic to think that after so many years and all they've been through she decided avoid him the day he came back for a visit.

But no- since he was such a bad liar she probably had to actually _go_ off somewhere for Naruto to even be able to say something convincingly.

"When will she return?" He sighed. Maybe she went off to Suna again? He knew that she was close with the Kazekage and his siblings.

"She isn't returning." Kakashi spoke this time. His voice barely louder than whisper. He never sounded so ghastly before, he almost seemed… _haunted_. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. This tone... it was the same tone he'd so seldom used... the one he used when he spoke of _them_.

Nothing made sense to Sasuke.

A second.

A minute,

what felt like an hour passed.

The prodigy's expression was still calm, too calm. Both the older members of the original Team 7 knew that Sasuke knew what they meant from his expression. They didn't press any further.

The denial was starting to show.

"Haruno Sakura was secretly declared MIA five years ago." Sai spoke at last.

M. I. A.

M.

I.

A.

Missing in action.

Sakura was missing in action.

Missing in fucking action!

Sakura was

**missing**

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.**  
><strong>

/ f l a s h b a c k /

_Sakura had been bedridden with a flu and the male members of Team 7 all had to continue their duties for the village even though they'd much rather stay behind and look after her. So they all decided to visit her again before they left. Unfortunately for Sasuke and Naruto- who had started to bicker again- they were given a mouthful from her._

_Not that they really paid attention. But they weren't about to let the headstrong (not to mention, overly violent when provoked) female member of their genin team find out.  
><em>

"_Stay safe you two! I know you don't like to be together, but please try to look out for each other okay? For me?"_

"_Stop nagging Sakura-chan!"_

"_Hn." He agreed._

"_You don't understand! Kakashi's female teammate- Rin, she was declared MIA you know, they gave up on trying to find her, which is why her name is on the memorial rock. 92 percent of all those declared MIA from Konoha have been found dead later on. But they never found her… It's such a sad way of leaving- to leave behind others who feel like they never fully left. To keep them on hoping. Dreaming." She stopped for a moment as if to ponder how to word her thoughts.  
><em>

__Sasuke inwardly wondered why she didn't think of becoming a poet or even one of those cheesy romance books _writers_ (that his mother used to idolise so much) instead of choosing the life of a ninja.  
><em>_

_"I never want to be subjected to any of it- so promise me you'll all be safe okay?" _

_She had sound so sad they were sure they'd feel bad if they didn't promise her._

_They looked at each other as if reading each others thoughts. It wasn't like they could really endanger themselves from pulling weeds or catching a few stray cats, so what harm would they do by promising her something a simple as looking out for themselves?_

_It wasn't as if they had anything to lose.  
><em>

"_Ah."_

"_I promise Sakura-chan! Now stop nagging! We're strong- we can protect ourselves!"_

'and you.'_ was a silent addition to their oaths._

/ e n d . f l a s h b a c k /

.

...

.

But she was missing right now. She was missing.

_Sakura_ was fucking missing.

There was a high probability that she might have died.

But she might not be dead.

How hard can finding pink hair be?

He finally understood what she meant by not fully cutting all the ties cleanly when one is declared MIA.

He never realised how much she meant until she was gone- just like his clan. Just like Itachi. But they never made him feel like _this_.

Like guilt was eating him from the inside.

Like his chest was about the be ripped apart from his torso.

But his feelings were not a concern to him-_ she_ was.

But she-

was missing.

He never thought that the girl he had thought of as a burden, as annoying, his whole life meant so much to him unknowingly.

Never knew that the mere thought of never being able to see her again would tear him apart so much.

So quickly.

So easily.

Selfish bitch. She promised to always stay safe- to not leave them behind. But she never actually promised them- it was them that promised her... Even so, Sakura wasn't allowed to leave them. He was supposed to be the first to leave- not her. He couldn't let another one leave him just like that.

He glanced at the others- all guilty. It wasn't Sakura who didn't keep her word, it was them who failed their duty. Kakashi, Naruto, Yamato, Sai- him. It was them who failed their own personal mission. It had been their purpose- they could protect her when everything else they held dear was gone.

They would have a purpose.

They could _belong_.

But now she wasn't there.

They couldn't protect her.

Why didn't he see it back then?

They were too _weak_. They were what they always labeled the rosette. The irony would have made him laugh if the situation wasn't as such. But he calmed himself as he turned to glare at the other ninja harshly.

"Five years ago?" Then they would have been 19, the third ninja war would have passed already.

"And you didn't have the tendency of telling me?" His voice so hoarse and quiet it sounded as if he hadn't spoken is years. He stood before his fist shot out to grab the blond sitting in front of him.

He knew that Sakura's case of spiriting away wasn't the only thing they were hiding from him. But it didn't matter at that moment. Nothing did.

Sasuke held unto Naruto's black t-shirt, gripping so tightly his knuckles turned white as he lifted him off the ground.

And he saw red.

His eyes _were_ red.

"Why didn't you protect her?" He said harshly. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. A harsh condemnation.

He hated this feeling.

The feeling of being useless.

Powerless.

Weak.

He knew they must loathe it too. So why didn't they protect her in his place?

He didn't receive any response from any of them. It only angered him more. In the years he had often wondered how many close calls had come and gone regarding the rosette. How many times she may have cried alone, or with the dobe, how many times without him. How many times she may have bled- what scars she may have?

Did she stop loving him?

It was frustrating. The thought that he never realized how much he had cared for her until she was missing.

"Why didn't you fucking _protect her_?" He repeated. The growl beneath his voice uncloaking itself unabashedly this time.

None of those around him moved to defend Naruto. Instead, he found a mirror image of his younger self staring at him as he was knocked over, with a kunai in hand- aim straight at him. He was caught off guard even as the Otokage because of the child's appearance. It was so _so_ melancholic.

So unbelievable.

The malice in his voice. Raven hair. Jet black eyes that he thought would flash red at any moment. Flawless skin like untouched snow.

He looked exactly like him.

"You!" He seethed.

"What do you want with Naru jii-chan?"

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Because borrowed things will always have to be returned.

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><p>AN:

This story is rated for language and violence- please don't expect any lemons or anything (check out 'd o l l'- my other story- if you want that though).

Tell me if you like it so far. As with all my other stories that are new, I don't start writing them until I receive at least 15 reviews on the first chapter (just so I can set my priorities on what stories to update first, I'm 15, I have a life outside my room...).

They all have roughly planned plot lines- just aren't typed into stories yet- so yea~ feel free to let your imaginations run wild for now.

And of course- standard disclaimers apply as always~

-Yaz


	2. Chapter 2

**b o r r o w e d**

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"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature."

— Helen Keller

**.**

chapter 2

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Sasuke repeated to himself that it was only because of his sudden burst of anger and the child's appearance that caused him to be caught off guard. It was definitely not _why_ he felt anger that made him caught flat-footed and unable to defend himself from a child he was probably old enough to be father for.

Curiously enough, his ninja instincts he developed over the years had made his body react instantly to danger even to those that he trusted. But his internal radar had completely dismissed the child as a threat.

He knew it was not because he underestimated him because of his age (Sasuke knew better than to believe a child wasn't capable of cold-blooded murder), but at the same time- he didn't know the reason also.

"It's okay, let go of him! He's a special guest of Tsunade-sama." Kakashi said as the younger doppelganger of the Uchiha reluctantly got off his straddle on his waist that would not have held the Otokage anyway.

Despite the elder's lithe body shape, the child's small body meant that he could barely pin the man to the floor and touch the floor he was pinning his opponent to himself.

"Who-?" Sasuke could not finish.

"Oi- bozu. Tenten is calling for you." Sasuke turned to see another familiar face from his earlier days in Konohagakure leaning slightly towards the side of the door- holding it open.

Upon his eye landing on the owner of the voice; his alpha complex began to switch itself on.

Long brown hair rippled as Neji dipped his head to acknowledge the younger shinobi's achievement as the Kage of another village, therefore being someone of a higher ranking status, and Sasuke returned the gesture.

Despite what may have happened between them in the past, the two of them had similar upbringings in their childhood as members of prominent clans and it was to be expected. Unfortunately, before he was given a chance to ask the young boy his name, he had already bounded off out the door.

Not before throwing the Uchiha clan head an icy glare though.

Sasuke assumed that he might be the Hyuuga- and who did he say? Tenten's- child. It certainly explained the dark hair and eyes- he faintly remembered how the Hyuuga heiress had midnight hair and Tenten having dark eyes, probably just a coincidence in the lottery of the gene pool.

Maybe that would explain why he didn't feel threatened. But it didn't. His body would have registered him as a danger automatically. But the boy just managed to slip past even his conscious.

Not that it mattered- Sakura was more important than some boy at that moment.

"Let's continue where we left off." Sasuke deadpanned at Kakashi when he saw the downcast expression on Naruto's face. It meant that the blond probably wouldn't be any help.

"What is her status? Did the council label her as a nuke-nin?" The Otokage knew that the new council hand-picked by the civilians and Hokage themselves (with his clan's history in the back of their minds) was not corrupt.

But if didn't mean that Sakura couldn't have ran off by herself and hid.

At least that means that she's safe.

"No… they didn't." The masked ninja spoke softly, his mask barely moving. He almost sounded as if he wanted that; and he understood. Being a nuke-nin meant being hunted and at least they'd receive some news on her.

His former student still rose his eyebrow at the answer, recalling that once upon a time in their genin years she would have gladly followed him along if she had been given the chance.

He suddenly felt the sick "what if" of what would have happened if he did bring her along.

Would she be missing now?

"How about her family? They wouldn't have just let their daughter be taken away. Did thoroughly examine Sakura's behavior before she left-

_/_

_because she had to have left herself_

_that meant that she would be safe_

_and away from danger_

_/_

-when they were interviewed-

_/_

_because it has to be interviewed_

_interrogated would mean that she was really taken_

_/_

-by the authorities?"

_/_

_because authorities could mean something else _

_and he sincerely hoped it wasn't ninja_

_even when he knew it was_

_/_

It was Kakashi's turn to glare at him now. Anger burning in his eyes, and the other could feel the intensity of the Sharingan seething through the hitae-ate. He had known that the former ANBU has treated Sakura like his own daughter, especially during the period Naruto and he both left, and during Konoha's invasion when Tsunade had fallen into coma. But he never knew that he was so protective of her.

"Do you really think we all wouldn't have searched for a possible explanation?"

He continued when Sasuke didn't answer.

"I'm sure her parents would have if they hadn't murdered 3 years before she was taken too."

Sasuke froze- murdered?

He glanced at the others- Yamato wore a similar look to Kakashi, while even the normally emotionless Sai seemed uncharacteristically irritated by him. Naruto- he wore an expression of guilt.

Why were they looking at him like that? While that explained the copy-nin's rage, he wasn't involved in any way with her parents.

Disliking the turn of events he decided to ask his first question directly.

"How do you know she didn't leave herself?"

Kakashi tried to calm himself down as he placed a calloused palm over his face, shutting his eyes tightly.

"Sakura… she wouldn't. She had someone too important. Here. In Konoha. Sakura gave up everything for him."

"She loved him." Naruto whispered, the corners of his mouth rising into a small smile. A knowing, _bitter_ smile. It was mocking. Like he knew that Sasuke wanted Sakura there with them.

With him.

And he did.

.

Uchiha Sasuke knew Sakura. He knew _about _Sakura. He heard all about her.

The beautiful prodigy of the female Sannin that would keep her distance from men and relationships.

She barely had any contact with anyone out of Konoha's main ninja. And if there was- it would be her patients who she was completely professional towards. Cared for many, cared by many; loved by many, but unable to love was what they aid about her.

Sasuke looked at Naruto expecting to see at least some glow of pride to show that he finally won- seeing none he looked at Kakashi for an explanation which he did not receive. Though refusing to believe it was either of them, he experimentally glanced over Sai and Yamato.

.

**Nothing.**

Had Sakura found someone else?

When did she finally find someone else to love?

Did she finally realize how much she was worth?

_/_

"_Sasuke-kun! _

_I love you the most!"_

_/_

He suddenly felt like laughing at the irony of the situation.

He never found out how much he loved her until she moved on.

Until she was

**missing**

Maybe he really was going crazy.

"Who?" he rasped out.

Because he failed to protect Sakura also. If he was so important to her, he had the responsibility to protect her.

He was almost happy that whoever it was had failed her too.

And he felt like running a sword through himself for thinking that.

But-

It meant that he wasn't as much of a failure.

"You'll find out soon enough." Sai answered. Speaking up again.

Sasuke growled as he wasn't expecting the other to answer and at the fact that none of is questions had been clearly answered.

"What exactly _do_ you all know?"

"She disappeared around the same time you did back then- after the execution of the old council. But when we got news of you appearing in Oto… we got nothing on her…"

"Status possible?" his shortened question easily understood by those in the same profession.

"No one less than jounin level could even have posed as a threat. She already surpassed Tsunade at 16," he gestured at Naruto.

"just as Naruto and Jiraiya-sama;"

He looked at Sasuke pointedly.

"and… Orochimaru and you."

.

Kakashi had told Sasuke to look for Tsunade when he requested for Sakura's file so that he could get his own shinobi to look for her. So he was heading down the hallways that lead to her door.

Unfortunately, he was rudely interrupted in his stride as a small black-clad sprinter nearly knocked him off balance. Luckily, because of his weight and height- instead of being knocked over, he knocked them over.

Muttering a curse under his breath as the small thing got up, he looked Sasuke in the eye. An accusing finger outstretched.

"You! You're the one that attacked jii-chan!"

"Yes."

Despite barely reaching a third of his verbal opponents size, he straightened himself out and grunted at the monosyllabic response. Preparing to walk off after dusting himself off and shooting the man a glare. He checked the time through the clock embedded on the wall and immediately rushed.

"Oi- what's your name?" The Sharingan bearer looked at brave youngster in interest.

"You're supposed to offer your own name before asking for someone else's!" The kid shouted as he ran off.

The Otokage smirked as he decided that the dark-haired child was too alike himself to be left alone when he pushed through the wooden doors of the office. Especially when he already had shinobi training prior to attending the academy, and he was almost sure he knew that he had received training when he had called Naruto- 'jii-chan'.

If he was as good as a ninja as he was at his age- he could grow to be very powerful.

"Sasuke." Tsunade greeted with a dip of her head in her seat on the Hokage's tower. Loose blonde pigtails rubbing against the wood of her desk as she leaned forward to rest her head in her hands. After her temporary retirement, she rarely left her chair after getting out of the hospital bed.

"How may I help you?"

"Who was that kid?"

That wasn't exactly the question Tsunade had been expecting. She didn't think that he would get to meet him so soon. But she answered, feigning ignorance.

"Shisui? What's wrong?"

_Shisui?_

She could almost see his mind already working his way around the child's name. It must have somehow ringed a bell in there after all.

"Does he attend the academy?" Tsunade decided that he probably wasn't genuinely interested in knowing whether he was an academy student from the way he deadpanned the question.

"No. He's a chuunin." She spoke proudly as she watched the Uchiha's unbelieving expression of lips pressed into a straight line and eyebrow raised.

"I know- amazing right? He passed the exams that you had failed when you were 13 at 7 years old."

The older lady didn't wait for the other to back channel with a witty remark on her patronizing his past lack of success when she continued.

"He my prodigy's prodigy."

.

After receiving several files on Sakura, the dark haired avenger headed for the east part of Konoha to search for the apparent chuunin that he had taken an interest in.

Melancholically enough, the neighborhood was where Sakura used to live, and the address was amazingly close too. Probably even just a few blocks away. He didn't think he'd have remembered the address from such a long time ago as he stared hard at the fragile piece of white on his hands.

He wasn't far off.

Following the directions stated in the paper, he found himself standing in front of Sakura's home.

Did the kid live here?

Was that how he met Team 7?

Did the idiot think that Sakura had returned and barged in only to find a kid and his family? Sasuke would have chuckled at himself if he was one for joy and laughter. He wouldn't be surprised. It seemed like something Naruto would do. Barge into someone else home to find the person who was the 'most important' to him.

Or, maybe it was because the Hyuuga's wanted to keep Sakura's place clean. He knew that both Neji and Tenten were particularly close to Sakura.

Raising a fist the raven-haired man knocked twice on the door, surprised to find it open before he could finish the third.

Sasuke pressed his lips into a thin line. The owner of the house was supposed to greet the guest. Not a child. As impromptu as his visit was- it was still good etiquette. Gently ushered in by a swing of the head of the kid, he followed Shisui in.

The house was clean and spacious. And curiously- set up for one person. So the kid _was _the owner of the house. There were six chairs set around the table, but from the legs of the chairs and marks on the wooden floor- it was clear that only one was used.

The older male decided that he probably _did_ come from a prosperous clan. Many valuable artifacts were around the house. Ninja artifacts, there were antique swords worth tens of thousands of yen hung up on walls. Books all related ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, medical jutsu- even dojutsu were neatly set up in order of kanji strokes (he wondered if the child had obsessive compulsive disorder), and some were so rare even he hadn't have the chance to read before.

And how old was this kid again?

If he hadn't been attacked by him before he would really have thought that it was wasted on him. No wonder the kid made chuunin at such a young age.

He couldn't put his finger on why Shisui was living alone though.

_Maybe he's a bastard child of the Hyuuga. _He muses.

If would explain a lot. And the Hyuuga's teammate- Tenten? She wasn't from a prominent clan was she?

Shisui suspiciously sat on the sofa, gesturing at the other occupant of the room to take a seat on the armchair across.

Tsunade had told him about the chance of a man coming over to his place earlier that day. But she hadn't mentioned that it would be _him_. He didn't like him. It was like looking at an older and better version of himself.

He didn't like it at all.

Silence filled the room, but it didn't bother neither of them. They were used to silence, it gave them peace.

They liked it.

Deciding, that despite that he should ask some questions before he left, Sasuke opened his mouth when the other didn't bother throughing him out of the house.

"Where are you're parents? Do you live alone?"

The black eyed, black haired youth paused as he seemed to argue internally the pros and cons of telling the unknown man about himself. While there was no danger of him disclosing the information, he didn't want to trust a stranger even though he felt familiar to him.

"Their not here. I live alone."

The Uchiha merely rose a brow- something he was doing a lot lately.

"I was forced to grow up faster than a normal child." He defended himself with a monotone and a wave of his hand. Not the least bothered by the skeptical gaze of the older man.

He was used to being judged by others because of his birth- but he was proud of his lineage.

"I noticed." Sasuke smirked as he tilted his head slightly towards the filled bookshelf.

"They're my mother's." Shisui gave a small smirk- his form of a smile. Sasuke supposed that he probably loved his mother very much. Ironically- he did too. He saw the sad look in the boy's eyes when he talked about his mother- she was gone too. How very ironic indeed.

"Your name- Shisui, who named you?"

"Hm? My parents. That's what parents do." Shisui paused, pondering on whether he was saying the right things.

"They name their children."

Sasuke nodded, telling the kid he knew that already. He wasn't interested in _who named him._ He was interested in the '_who's'_ that named him.

Shisui gave an offhanded shrug of his shoulders.

"I can't remember. I never saw them enough to properly remember. But Kakashi-sensei told me that they were both honorable and powerful ninja."

_So Shisui wasn't a bastard child after all. Probably the child of Konoha's higher ranking ninjas who passed away if Kakashi knew them…_

Sasuke leaned his back against the soft cushioning of the armchair, crossing his arms that reminded Shisui of Ibiki in an interrogation room. Shisui sat a little taller. He wouldn't be intimidated by that older lookalike of himself!

"How do you know Team Kakashi?" The older male asked, recurring Tsunade mentioning her "prodigy's prodigy". It probably meant that he was trained by Team Kakashi.

"I'm kind of like the bastard child of the cell. The whole village knows anyway." Shisui was really starting to become annoyed. Who did he think he was? Asking him all these questions like he was his Kage.

"Why are you asking me this? You're not one of those crazy Team Kakashi stalker people are you?"

Sasuke looked at Shisui with an amused expression.

"What? Never heard a kid swear?"

"No. Just never heard a kid use profanity with its actual meaning in mind."

Shisui looked genuinely displeased and offended. Taken aback he decided to get back at him.

"My turn to ask the questions... Who are you?" He folded his arms together and leaning back against the sofa, mocking the older man in the same pose as he glared at the face that looked so much like his own.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Shisui froze, eye widened and mouth agape looking more his young age than Sasuke had ever seen him. While the former avenger did not know the boy for long, he reminded Sasuke far too much of himself. He knew that if he was as similar as he thought the were the expression he was currently holding would rarely be seen by anybody.

"You mean...?"

_That I'm the Otokage?_ Sasuke rose an eyebrow that didn't lower as the child in front of him fumbled in his loss of words. Was Shisui finally understanding how disrespectful he had been acting?

"But-! You... why-?" If the Sound leader were any other man he would have laughed as he watched the comical expressions on the raven-haired kid's face. No wonder he always kept a straight face- he was absolutely entertaining to watch. Especially the almost animated way his eyebrow furrowed.

"If you're really my jii-chan why did you need to ask me all those stupid questions anyway? You know them already!" he sounder genuinely frustrated.

The older Uchiha was failing to process the new acquired information.

"Bozu..." He walked up towards the child and paused in front of him, poking the kid's forehead with his index finger gently. An action he grew accustomed to repeating around young children unconsciously after the death of his other brother.

"Your name." He stared more intently at the youth's handsome face, as the wild-eyed child titled his head to look up to him because of his inferior height.

"Tell me your full name."

"Name, Uchiha Shisui." Sasuke closed his eyes in hopes to calm his mind… to find an alternative truth to who the father could be. After all—he only said 'jii-chan', he could be a distant relative-

But as the boy continued his fears were confirmed.

"Born to- father, Uchiha Itachi;"

Of course he'd answer in the formal method, completely unfitting for his tender age, mirroring what was carefully recorded in clan protocols and official documents- stating everything in perfect order.

His mother was probably well educated too.

There was not a single fault apart from the next name he spoke.

.

"Sasuke. Know that even if I never showed it- I love you."

"Sasuke-kun, I love you with all my heart!"

.

_"Mother, Haruno Sakura."_

.

He loved both very much. They loved him dearly too.

But he never knew how much the cared for each other too.

.

..

...

..

.

* * *

><p>AN:

Yes- this is SASUSAKU. You haven't read a bunch of fabricated errors.

/

Anyways...

Super long chapter for you all! So so sorry for not updating, I'm recently moved to boarding school in England (from Hong Kong- a whole 14hours away by plane!) by myself and I've only just really 'settled in'. Most of the chapter was typed on the plane while I was deprived of sleep so the quality isn't as good as I would have liked… but I hope that you do!

Review (and review more XD) for updates~ I write one chapter at a time for all my stories- so depending on demand I'll update that one faster.

And of course- standard disclaimers apply as always

~Yaz


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